Hu Qun, a 27-year-old case manager for AIDS patients in Central China, received a touching gift on World AIDS Day. The gift was a silk banner with the words, “Thank you for your companionship along my way from the dark abyss to brightness,” from an AIDS patient in his 20s. Hu was lost in thought when she read the words on the banner and said, “I wish him all the best.”
Hu used to be a nurse with little knowledge of AIDS at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province. But about three years ago, she started working as a case manager in the hospital’s “caring clinic.” As a case manager, Hu provides individualized psychological counseling and medical treatment services for AIDS patients.
Over the past three years, Hu has helped nearly 800 AIDS patients. She feels fulfilled whenever those who used to be resistant to medical treatment and gave up their hopes for life gradually face their reality and bravely return to their normal life. Hu’s dedication and passion have earned her the respect and appreciation of her patients.
World AIDS Day is an important event that raises public awareness of the disease. The gift that Hu received is a testament to the positive impact that healthcare workers can have on the lives of their patients. It highlights the importance of providing individualized care and support to those living with AIDS.
Hu’s work as a case manager is crucial in providing holistic care to AIDS patients. Her individualized psychological counseling and medical treatment services help patients cope with the challenges of living with AIDS. The support that Hu provides empowers patients to take control of their lives and overcome the physical, emotional, and social challenges that they face.
Hu Qun’s work as a case manager for AIDS patients in Central China has been truly inspiring. Her dedication and passion have helped nearly 800 AIDS patients over the past three years. The gift that she received on World AIDS Day is a testament to the positive impact that healthcare workers can have on the lives of their patients. Her individualized care and support have empowered patients to take control of their lives and overcome the challenges that they face. Hu’s work is a reminder of the importance of providing holistic care and support to those living with AIDS.
China launched a new program in 2015 to support the antiviral treatments of AIDS patients. The program, which was implemented in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Wuhan, aimed to train case managers who could assist in curbing the spread of the disease and provide personalized care to those infected with the virus.
AIDS patients often experience social discrimination and stigma, leading to a reluctance to seek treatment and a lack of confidence in fighting the virus. To combat this, the program’s case managers were trained to provide emotional support and medical assistance to patients, enabling them to face the disease head-on.
In 2019, Hu Qun joined the initiative, becoming a case manager for AIDS patients at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan. Hu, who previously worked as a nurse with limited knowledge of AIDS, now provides individualized psychological counseling and medical treatment services to nearly 800 AIDS patients.
Hu recalls that it is challenging for patients to accept their diagnosis when they first learn of their infection, leading to depression, social withdrawal, and resistance to medical treatment. As a case manager, she must become the patients’ most trusted person to help them through the difficulties they face.
To be an eligible AIDS case manager, one must possess knowledge about the disease, its antiviral treatments, and relevant policies. Communication skills, as well as love and care for the patients, are also essential, explains Luo Yanhe, head nurse of the care clinic.
The program has been successful in providing patients with the support they need to confront the disease, thanks to the dedication of case managers such as Hu. Her work has not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by the silk banner gifted to her by an AIDS patient she had helped. The banner reads: “Thank you for your companionship along my way from the dark abyss to brightness.”
As the world observes World AIDS Day, Hu’s efforts and those of her fellow case managers serve as a reminder of the importance of providing personalized care to those affected by the disease. With continued support and dedication, patients can face the challenges of the disease head-on and improve their quality of life.
In the central Chinese city of Wuhan, Hu Qun is a case manager for AIDS patients. On a silk banner gifted to her, the words “Thank you for your companionship along my way from the dark abyss to brightness” were written, touching her deeply. Hu now provides individualized psychological counseling and medical treatment services for AIDS patients at Jinyintan Hospital, where she has helped almost 800 AIDS patients over the past three years. “I wish him all the best,” says Hu, referring to the young patient who gifted her the banner.
In 2015, several major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan, began to recruit and train case managers to support the antiviral treatments of the country’s AIDS patients. The program’s goal is to help AIDS patients lift themselves up and to assist them in getting medical treatment, thus curbing the further spread of the disease. AIDS patients often easily withdraw due to social discrimination and stigma, delaying treatment out of shame and fear, which can lead to behavioral issues because of a lack of confidence to fight the virus over the long haul.
In 2019, Hu joined the cause of helping AIDS patients face the disease head-on. “It’s hard for them to accept the fact when their infection is confirmed. They are often unavailable when local disease prevention and control authorities conduct follow-up visits,” recalls Hu. “Some get depressed, self-contained and unwilling to receive any medical treatment as their family may lack enough understanding of the situation,” Hu adds. “Only by becoming their most trusted person can you truly help them. An eligible AIDS case manager needs to know about the disease, its antiviral treatments and relevant policies. We also need to have good communication skills and provide love and care for the patients,” explains Luo Yanhe, head nurse of the care clinic.
Hu and the other case managers at Jinyintan Hospital’s clinic offer necessary psychological counseling for both patients and their families. Hu still remembers an old woman who huddled with tears in her eyes while her family kept a distance from her. Rather than immediately asking about her symptoms, Hu chose to listen to her stories first. After the patient gradually calmed down, Hu then began to extract key information about her disease and reported back to the doctor to make a tailored therapy plan.
The special clinic at Jinyintan Hospital currently has six AIDS case managers, and the number of patients has grown from over 400 to more than 4,000 since 2015. The managers participate in training programs, collaborate with social organizations to carry out auxiliary treatment, discuss how to provide patients with guidance on health, medication compliance and other aspects, and offer necessary psychological counseling for both patients and their families. They also have online chat groups with the patients, where they can remind them to take medicine in time and answer their questions instantly. The managers refer to the medicine as “candy” and always ask if the patient is okay to pick up the phone before making the call, all to better protect their privacy.
“I’m looking forward to wider social participation in fighting the disease so that everyone can learn more about AIDS, treat the patients equally, and there will be no discrimination against the infected,” says Hu, adding that she will continue to help the patients with love and care and make them feel accepted and understood.
Hu and her colleagues play a critical role in supporting and guiding patients on their journey towards health and recovery, and they serve as an essential bridge between medical professionals and AIDS patients. Their work highlights the importance of empathy, communication, and collaboration in providing high-quality medical care and improving health outcomes.
